Every day, for understandable reasons, we hear Deputies from every party raise very serious concerns about the cost-of-living crisis and the true stories that are happening in our communities and constituencies. While we acknowledge the welcome intervention by the Government thus far, does the Minister plan, in the lead-up to the budget for next year, a substantive intervention regarding changing our income tax rates and bands? That could provide a reprieve and release for all in society, in particular the coping c…

I am grateful for that comprehensive update from the Taoiseach. I join with others in strongly supporting his call for the full and rapid accession of Ukraine to the EU, as well as Moldova and Georgia in due course. One of the sad things, and we are over 100 days into this phase of the conflict, is that the attention of so many people is drifting. Sadly, it is drifting when the war is perhaps getting most vicious, particularly in the Donbas region. We see the true extent of the crimes that Russia is committing agai…

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. It is accepted by everyone in this House, or at least I hope it is, that the Taoiseach's personal and political commitment to relations North and South, east and west is absolutely exemplary. As a Government backbencher I take pride when I hear him speaking on these issues and genuinely engaging. However, to be quite frank I do not believe that level of commitment is shared by his counterpart in London. It is extremely worrying that we are repeatedly seeing the livelihoods of pe…

Yesterday, patients of the GP practice in my village of Stepaside became the latest to be subjected to an act of sheer obstruction and intimidation by so-called protesters, simply because that medical practice offers full maternal and reproductive care, as per the laws of this land. I am by no means the first Deputy or Senator to raise this in these Houses and I fear I will not be the last. When will the Government bring forward genuine safe-access zone legislation to protect all the patients of this land? Will the…

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this timely and important debate. I will not dwell too long on the absolutely farcical scenes going on in Dublin Airport at the moment, but I will reiterate every comment made by my colleague, Deputy O'Donnell, earlier in this debate and throughout the week in his role as chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. I am happy to leave it there. We all know that what is happening is completely unsustainable. There needs to be a …

This week, we heard renewed calls from political leaders in Ukraine asking the EU to freeze Russian assets, seize them and use that funding to support the reconstruction and continuing efforts in Ukraine to repel the vicious war by Russia. These assets stand at approximately €36 billion across the EU, almost €1 billion of which is held in Ireland. What efforts will the Government make to lead the European Union approach to not just freeze these assets but seize them and put them to much more important use?

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this timely and important debate. Today, we have effectively reached full employment in the State, which is remarkable considering the years of the pandemic and the very many difficulties facing the world. This in itself presents a massive challenge because while we have effective full employment, there are clear skills and labour shortages in a number of extremely important sectors. This is why this scheme and the apprentice scheme in general is so important in allevia…

I thank the Minister of State for being with us. I ordinarily begin statements by noting my appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to such a debate but, to be honest, I have absolutely no interest in contributing to this debate. I am utterly exasperated with the situation with the Passport Office. I do not speak alone. I am sure every single Member of this House, the other House, the vast majority of representatives in Northern Ireland, the Minister, the Passport Office and many members of An Garda Síochána…

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this extremely timely and relevant debate. It is such a vast debate that I will not be able to address all the points I would like to make. I will simply focus on the latest row over the implementation of the post-Brexit agreement, known as the Northern Ireland protocol. I welcome the fact that the British foreign secretary, Ms Liz Truss, is visiting Belfast. I am sure she is very grateful to be away from the chaos in Westminster, given what we have been seeing …

I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this timely and welcome debate. All of us will speak from a personal and collective point of view of the importance of reporting by the media from conflict zones around the world in a brave manner that stands to all of humanity. It is important to ensure there is clarity, the exposition of crimes and a living, unchallengeable record of this. In the emerging age of social media and the use of disinformation and misinformation as a form of hybrid warfare, the role of inde…

It is too late.

In light of Deputy Ó Murchú's intervention and the very enlightening response from the Minister, after what has been yet another awful couple of days on the six-years long Brexit merry-go-round, I ask quite simply whether the Government can trust this British Government, and, if we cannot trust it, who in the world can trust it in these very difficult times.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this very important, very sensitive and very emotive debate for everyone in the House, including the Minister. I appreciate the decision taken by the Government to pause for two weeks in order to address many of the very understandable concerns and suspicions held not just by members of this House but the vast majority of people in this country and, most importantly, the women who have been betrayed institutionally by this country for so long up to this point. W…

It is, as ever, a pleasure to take part in these annual statements on Europe Day. As has been referenced by many, this is an especially important Europe Day as we mark 50 years from the date on which the Irish people voted massively for Ireland to join the then European Economic Community, EEC, which I fundamentally believe was perhaps the most important decision taken in the State's young history. We should all aspire to our continuing membership of the European Union for another 50 years as a proactive member. I …

We all do our best to support sport and sports facilities in our communities. One sport that is not just an activity but a life skill is swimming. I ask the Minister of State to update the House on supports for the development of new and existing swimming pools.

I appreciate the Minister of State's reply and acknowledge the good work that has been done. He will accept, however, that while excellent calls have been published and funding has been drawn down, several projects are still simply caught in the process. I have deep knowledge of two such local projects in my constituency, including one of the pools in which I learned to swim. That was the infamous Glenalbyn swimming pool in Stillorgan, which has still not been redeveloped. The finance is in place and planning permi…

I would appreciate that involvement because there are so many swimming pools. Considering population growth, especially in my community, and factoring in the number of planning permission applications approved in the context of that expected growth, we can see there is going to be increased demand for what is an already oversubscribed swimming pool system. We not only need the two pools I mentioned to be refurbished and the new pool, but also more pools to service the community. More pertinently, regarding the deve…

We all have a lot to say on an issue such as this. It is important that we say it. I appreciate the early statements by the Ministers and by all the Deputies who have been present during the debate. I would like to think that this unites the House and the country in terms of our response to a war that is now in its 71st day. The impacts of the war are absolutely startling, if it has not long started, on our society and economy and most importantly on our role as signed-up members of the human race. I will make poin…

I thank the Taoiseach very much his reply. By way of a supplementary question, when does he next intend to meet with the British Prime Minister? Does the Taoiseach believe that the formal arrangement of a monthly or fortnightly phone call between him and the Prime Minister is imperative? We are entering the final few hours of the election campaign in Northern Ireland. I would like to believe that everyone in this Chamber very much hopes to see an Executive established quickly. That is going to require the direct in…

I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Health on the State funding of IVF by 2023 but as the Taoiseach will appreciate, this is not just a matter of putting some money forward. There needs to be an overall and complete package for those undertaking IVF. What preparatory work has begun to ensure that both parents will be eligible for leave, including sick leave, during this period, that eligibility will be inclusive of all of society and that the process will be open and accessible to all very quickly? The u…